BUS and train companies in Dorset have announced their Christmas timetables with significantly reduced services across the board.

Great Western Railway and South Western Railway services continue to face strike disruption and are advising passengers to check before they travel.

Today and from Tuesday, December 27 until Monday, January 2 there will be one SWR service an hour between Weymouth and Southampton Central: passengers needing to get to London will have to change at Southampton and await the connecting service.

Services are likely to finish early and face last-minute delays or cancellation.

Great Western Railway will, likewise, run a reduced service on these days: routes from Weymouth until Bristol Temple Meads will be in operation but, owing to the likelihood of last minute changes, passengers are told to check the timetable on the day of travel.

A GWR spokesperson said: “Trains will be disrupted with a significantly reduced level of service throughout the day.

“Trains are expected to be very busy. Please check your journey before you travel, especially if travelling late at night, with some short-notice alterations or cancellations likely.”

There will be no SWR or GWR train services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

First Wessex has announced their levels of service for bus routes across Weymouth, Bridport and Dorchester.

No services will run on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day with a Sunday timetable in place on December 27 and January 2. 

All services will operate a Saturday timetable between December 28 and December 31 - except for the 6 between Bridport and Yeovil which doesn’t usually run on Saturdays and will therefore run its regular timetable.

Morebus, which operates services in Weymouth, Dorchester, Lyme Regis and Poundbury as Damory, has announced there will be no buses in those areas for much of the festive period.

No Damory services will run on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, December 27, New Year’s Day, or January 2 will run as a result of a Sunday timetable.

Buses on the days in between will run their regular weekday timetable.